The Sol Coins of Gallienus' "Zoo"
Sol's coins demonstrate an increased interest in this cult of the sun god, whose image dominates issues of later emperors. His sacred animal was the rooster, which awoke him every morning so that he could begin his daily journey in his quadriga (4-horse chariot) across the heavens. Most of his coins depict what's commonly referred to as a "Pegasus", which is somewhat misleading. The Pegasus is a very specific mythical figure, but doesn't seem to have any obvious connection with Apollo or Sol. It's much more likely that these "Pegasus" coins depict the winged horses which drew his golden chariot across the sky each day. Ovid names these four winged horses as Pyrois, Eos, Aethon, and Phlegon.
In the Odyssey, Ulysses (Odysseus) and his crew land on the island of Thrinacia, which was sacred to Helios - where Helios kept a herd of sacred cattle. Though Ulysses warned his men not to, they killed and ate some of the cattle, which was reported to Helios by his daughters, the guardians of the island. Helios destroyed the ship and all of the men except Ulysses. It is possible the the bull on some of the Sol coins refers to this sacred herd.
Census Information
The winged horse type coins were by far the most numerous of the coins in this series honoring Sol in the Cunetio Hoard, accounting for 238 (93%). The remainder, 19 coins (7%), were of the bull type.
Winged horse (Pegasus?)
The type facing right seems to be much more common than the left-facing type, and there's also a rare variant that shows the horse facing right and reins being clearly visible. The Sol coins were minted in both Rome and Siscia. The Siscia mint coins don't have a mintmark in the exergue.
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG - Winged horse springing right. A in exergue.
RIC.283, VM.270, SR.2992, RSC.979, CT.1337, Göbl.712b (147 examples)
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG AI - Winged horse springing right.
The normal officina letter, "A", has been placed to the right of the groundline, rather than in the exergue. It also appears to be followed by a Roman numeral "I". There is no evidence of doublestriking, so these anomalies appear to be deliberately placed in the die.
RIC.283v, VM.270v, SR.2992v, RSC.979v, CT.1337v, Göbl.712b
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG A - Winged horse springing right.
Similar to the coin above, the officina mark on this coin has been deliberately placed to the right of the groundline.
RIC.283v, VM.270, SR.2992, RSC.979, CT.1337v, Göbl.712b
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG - Winged horse springing right. A in exergue.
The bust, animal, and lettering all suggest a "barbaric" origin, though it is still of nice style.
RIC.283, VM.270, SR.2992, RSC.979, CT.1337, Göbl.712b
Obv: Head (of Claudius II?) right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG - Winged horse springing right. A in exergue.
A small coin but of reasonable weight for the issue (2.38g), this is almost certainly a "barbaric radiate." The bust looks nothing like Gallienus, but much like Claudius II, an emperor whose coins were very commonly imitated by unofficial or "barbaric" mints.
Obv: IMPGALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG - Winged horse springing right. A in exergue.
The longer obverse legend is quite scarce.
RIC.282, VM.270sim, SR.----, RSC.980, CT.1336, Göbl.712z
Obv: GA[LLIENVS]AV[G] - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: [SO]LICONSAVG - Winged horse springing left.
The left-facing winged horse is much less commonly seen that the one facing right. Struck on a very undersized flan. This coin was a detector find in the UK.
RIC.284, VM.271, SR.----, RSC.981, CT.1338, Göbl.710b (9 examples)
Obv: [G]ALLIE[NVSAVG] - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SO[LIC]ONSAVG - Winged horse springing left. A to left of exergue.
In poor condition, this coin appears to have been the victim of a very harsh cleaning, probably by electrolysis judging from the pitting. The coin has a couple of very unusual reverse features though, the first being the placement of the officina mark to the left of the groundline, rather than below it. Even more unusual is the fact the the winged horse is shown with reins! In the Cunetio Hoard one right-facing winged horse was shown with reins, but none of the left-facing ones.
RIC.284, VM.271, SR.----, RSC.981, CT.-, Göbl.710b
Bull
The Sol bull types are quite uncommon, and only occasionally is one seen for sale. They seem to have only been minted in Rome.
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Rev: SOLICONSAVG - Bull standing right. XI in exergue.
RIC.285, VM.272, SR.----, RSC.983, CT.1404, Göbl.749b (30 examples)
Then you will make the island of Thrinacia...
where herds of the Sungod's cattle graze, and fat sheep
and seven herds of oxen, as many sheepflocks, rich and wooly,
fifty head in each. No breeeding swells their number,
nor do they ever die. And goddesses herd them on,
nymphs with glinting hair, Phaethusa, Lampetie,
born to the Sungod Helios by radiant Neaera.
Their queenly mother bred and reared them both
then settled them on the island of Thrinacia -
their homeland seas away -
to guard their father's sheep and longhorn cattle.
Leave the beasts unharmed, and your mind set on home,
and you all may still reach Ithaca - bent with hardship,
true - but harm them in any way, and I can see it now:
your ship destroyed, your men destroyed as well!
And even if you escape, you'll come home late,
all shipmates lost, and come a broken man.
If you have an comments, questions, or corrections, please email me.
All coins from the author's collection. Not a commercial site, these coins are not for sale.
E-mail Jim
Coins of Gallienus' Zoo
last modified: 7 Mar 2006
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Obv: GALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Obv: Head (of Claudius II?) right with radiate crown.
Obv: IMPGALLIENVSAVG - Head right with radiate crown.
Obv: GA[LLIENVS]AV[G] - Head right with radiate crown.
Obv: [G]ALLIE[NVSAVG] - Head right with radiate crown.
